The entity currently known as Madtown, including all of its name and member changes, has been around for as long as I've been involved in the music scene here in central Florida. They've always been in your face and have always been the "energy" on a bill. It's safe to say that the atmosphere of a room changes when Madtown starts playing. You begin to feel a sense of righteous panic. You begin to experience chaos and rebellion in their most raw forms. They've always had the power and might through the music, but have also always been missing something. Having known this, they finally found what they needed to grow in the eyes of both themselves and their fans: a successful re-branding.
Madtown hail from Dade City and are on the verge of becoming the face for Tampa hardcore. They have recently teamed up with Austin Coupe to record their upcoming EP, "Blinded," in pursuit of a more official sound. They've boosted their social media presence and have kept consistent with the ways of maximizing the size of their audience, such as extensive promotion via Facebook and implementing platforms that generally go unused within their genre, like Soundcloud. This process is still fairly fresh to them because, for a re-branding to become effective, there must be a product for the brand to represent. They've given the people a taste of this product recently with their single "Bronson."
"Bronson" was named so because this single, according to vocalist Jonah Smith, used Charles Bronson's likeness to convey it's message. Madtown used his image to portray their own distaste for society's rules. That message, in itself, is what hardcore and punk is founded on. It's nothing new and there is no denying that. Madtown, however, has come up with an effective way to give that message a face. This face not only matches up with and complements the identity of the band's lyrical direction, but it also does the same of the band's musical direction.
The song embodies the Madtown I've grown to love. "Bronson" is a two-and-a-half minute punch in the stomach, and they don't hold back. It's laced with bell rides, gritty vocal technique, and the always anticipated two-steps. In addition to the songwriting, the production is an improvement as well. The drums punch firmly and the overall mix remains raw enough for the hardcore fan to enjoy. To me, Austin Coupe has always been more tailored for that sound. I definitely approve of Madtown's decision to work with him solely because of that. Coupe has always been viewed by many as an exceptional songwriter and audio engineer, mainly due to his long and ongoing run as guitarist for central Florida's local legend, Adaliah. Madtown benefited substantially working under Coupe's roof.
Madtown is only just beginning the new path they've started themselves down. It makes me extra excited to see where they end up because this path is one they've built for themselves. "Bronson" is now available to stream on Soundcloud, and their upcoming EP "Blinded" will be out next month.
Madtown - "Bronson" - https://soundcloud.com/thisismadtown/bronson-singl...
Madtown's Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ThisIsMadtown/
